ns is to be had by comparing
the number of plantations listed in the rent roll of 1704 with the
official returns of tithables for 1702.[3-50] Thus in Nansemond there
were 375 plantations and 1,030 tithables, Henrico with 162 plantations
had 863 tithables, Middlesex with 122 plantations had 814 tithables,
Gloucester with 381 plantations had 2,626, James City with 287
plantations had 1,193, York with 205 plantations had 1,180, Warwick with
122 plantations had 505, Elizabeth City with 116 plantations had 478,
Princess Anne with 215 plantations had 727, Surry with 273 plantations
had 739, Isle of Wight with 262 plantations had 896, Norfolk with 303
plantations had 693, New Kent with 497 plantations had 1,245, King
William with 217 plantations had 803, King and Queen with 403
plantations had 1,848, Essex with 376 plantations had 1,034, Accomac
with 392 plantations had 1,041, Northampton with 258 plantations had
693, Charles City and Prince George together with 420 plantations had
1,327.[3-51]

In Nansemond the average number of tithables as compared with the number
of plantations was 2.7, in Henrico 5.1, in Middlesex 6.7, in Gloucester
6.9, in James City 4.2, in York 5.7, in Warwick 4.1, in Elizabeth City
4, in Princess Anne 3.4, in Surry 2.7, in Isle of Wight 3.3, in Norfolk
2.3, in New Kent 2.5, in King William 3.7, in King and Queen 4.6, in
Essex 2.8, in Accomac 2.6, in Northampton 2.3, in Charles City and
Prince George combined 3.1. In all Virginia, with the exclusion of the
Northern Neck, there were 19,715 tithables and some 5,500 plantations,
an average of 3.6 tithables for each plantation. If we deduct from the
tithables all the male freeholders included in the rent roll, there
remains only some 14,700 persons south of the Rappahannock to make up
the list, not only of servants and slaves, but of professional men, wage
earners, artisans and dependent sons of landholders over 16 years of
age.

Another invaluable source of information concerning the distribution of
servants and slaves is provided by the numerous inventories, deeds, and
wills which have been preserved in the records. Thus in Surry during the
years from 1671 to 1686 we find listed the estates of fifty-nine
persons. Of these no less than fifty-two were apparently without
servants or slaves; two, William Rooking and Captain Robert Spencer, had
five each; one, Mr. William Chambers, had three; and four, Captain
William Corker, John Hoge, Mr. John Goring and